Latest Advisories

Subscribingto get DPIPWE’s Biosecurity Advisories is the best way you can keep yourself up-to-date and fully informed about Tasmanian biosecurity issues. Our Advisories cover topics such as changes or proposed changes to Tasmania’s import regulations, animal health and welfare, plant health, forthcoming regulation reviews and opportunities for public comment, new or emerging pest/disease risks and a range of other matters related to Tasmania’s biosecurity.

Biosecurity Advisory 4/2019: Tasmania’s final draft of the Biosecurity Bill 2019 is now available for public comment.

​The final draft of Tasmania’s Biosecurity Bill 2019 is now available for public comment.

The draft Biosecurity Bill provides a simpler and more effective legal framework for the management of disease, weeds and vermin, imports of plant and animal products, and biosecurity emergencies.

The new draft Bill will facilitate the sharing of responsibility between Government, industry and the community for biosecurity management. It will retain many of the elements of Tasmania’s existing biosecurity system, but in a modernised and consolidated form.

Biosecurity Advisory 3/2019 - Queensland fruit fly Control Area and Infected Area restrictions in northern Tasmania have been lifted

​The Queensland fruit fly (QFF) Control Area and Infected Area restrictions in northern Tasmania have been lifted. The restrictions were put in place in early 2018 following the discovery of QFF in Tasmania.

Northern Tasmania Control Area restrictions lifted

Control Area restrictions were officially lifted at 12.01 am, Wednesday 9 January 2019. This means that normal movement of fruit fly host produce has resumed.

The valuable local and domestic trade has reopened. Biosecurity Tasmania are working closely with the Australian Government to finalise the technical information each of our trading partners need for international markets to reopen.

Biosecurity Tasmania will now return to normal fruit fly monitoring and reporting activities on mainland Tasmania, which includes regular checking of the trapping grid across the State as a general surveillance tool.

Restrictions remain for Furneaux Group of Islands​

A single adult male Queensland fruit fly was detected at Lady Barron on Flinders Island during the ongoing surveillance program undertaken by the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) late last year

This recent detection of fruit fly has resulted in the continuation of the Control Area restrictions on the Furneaux Group of Islands and the Infected Area restrictions at Lady Barron, until March 2019 - pending no further detections.

The Infected Area restrictions at Trousers Point/Loccota and Badger Corner on Flinders Island have been lifted.

Everyone must continue to obey Tasmania’s strict rules and regulations about not bringing fruit fly host produce into the State. Fines may apply.

Queensland fruit fly remains an ongoing threat. To retain Tasmania’s Pest Free Area status, everyone is asked to remain on the lookout for any signs of fruit fly and report any suspect produce to Biosecurity Tasmania on 03 6165 3774. ​

​The 2019 edition of the Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania (PBMTas) was published on the Biosecurity Tasmania website (www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity​) on 19 December 2018. The manual will only be published online, and will not be available in hard copy format.

The new edition of the PBMTas includes several changes to important Import Requirements (IR’s). Please note that these changes take legal effect from the date of public release, which is 19 December 2018.

The revised conditions and restrictions in this year’s Manual, include but are not limited to:

The introduction of new Import Requirements for Tomato Potato Psyllid (IR46), and Citrus Canker (IR31);

​In term​s of more recent plant biosecurity ‘quarantine pest’ declaration changes, besides a couple of pest name taxonomic updates, key changes have included new declarations of Citrus Canker as a Regulated Quarantine Pest (RQP), removal of Green Snail as a RQP to an Unwanted Quarantine Pest (UQP), and declaration of Cowpea Mild Mottle Virus and Giant Pine Scale as UQP’s.

The annual update of Tasmania’s Regulated Quarantine Pests (RQPs - Section 12 List A and B plant pests) was also published in the Government Gazette on Wednesday 21 November 2018. A copy of this Gazette can be accessed on the Tasmanian Government Gazette website​.

As in previous years the updated RQP List is included in the 2018 edition of the Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania (PBMTas) in Appendix 1. As a reminder, a Regulated Quarantine Pest (RQP) is a pest which:

poses a significant threat to our primary industries and/or natural environment; and is either not present in Tasmania; or present in the State but is under some form of official control program.

​A single adult male Queensland fruit fly has been detected on Flinders Island during the ongoing surveillance program undertaken by Biosecurity Tasmania.

The detection does not affect northern Tasmania. The target date for reinstatement for the Northern Tasmanian Control Area remains 9 January 2019, subject to not detecting any fruit fly in this area.

This recent detection of the adult male fruit fly will extend the control area restrictions on Flinders Island until March 2019 - if there were no further detections.

The male fruit fly was detected at Lady Barron on Flinders Island near a previously infected property. Following the detections on Flinders Island earlier this year there is an ongoing response on the Island and eradication activities will be resumed around the detection site. These activities include property inspections, spot baiting, installation of additional traps, collection of fallen fruit and the implementation of larval surveys consistent with National protocols.

The identification of the fly was made late last week and since its confirmation we have been undertaking response planning and notifying stakeholders in line with established protocols.

Biosecurity Tasmania remains confident that fruit fly can be eradicated from Flinders Island and all of Tasmania and are focussed on this goal.

There have been no further detections in any other areas of Flinders Island, or northern Tasmania.

Due to the location of the detection, it is believed the detection is of an overwintering fruit fly on the Island. Because of the slightly warmer climate, the possibility of an overwintering fruit fly on Flinders Island has been a scenario Biosecurity Tasmania has been prepared for.

Returning residents and visitors are reminded not to bring host produce onto the Island and obey airport and coastal access point signs and use fruit disposal bins provided when leaving the Control Area. Biosecurity officers and detector dogs will continue their role of checking incoming passengers for fruit on arrival at Launceston airport.

Biosecurity Tasmania asks for the continued support of Flinders Island residents to ensure we eradicate fruit fly from the I​sland and reduce the risk of its further movement. Further information on Queensland fruit fly is available on the Biosecurity Tasmania website: www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/fruitfly​

​An Import Risk Analysis (IRA) was conducted in 2018 on the potential threats posed to Tasmania by the green snail (Cantareus apertus). This is part of Biosecurity Tasmania’s plant biosecurity risk analysis program, which identifies and reviews pest risks that may present a threat to the State in association with the daily trade of goods, services and movement of people. The Green Snail Import Risk Analysis is now available on the Biosecurity Tasmania website.

The risk analysis has resulted in the risk rating of green snail being amended from the status of a List A ‘Regulated Quarantine Pest (RQP)’ (as declared under Section 12 of the Plant Quarantine Act 1997), to that of an ‘Unwanted Quarantine Pest (UQP)’ which better aligns with the biosecurity risk the snail poses to Tasmania. Regulatory action will be taken if green snail is detected in imported goods at the Tasmanian biosecurity border.

​Biosecurity Tasmania wish to advise that Import Requirement 31 relating to hosts and vectors of citrus canker has been amended, effective as at 27 June 2018.

Import Requirement 31 was reinstated on 2 May 2018 following detection of the disease in the Northern Territory. It has since been confirmed that citrus canker is present in some areas of Western Australia.

Citrus canker (Xanthomonas citri susbp. citri) is a serious disease of citrus and can have severe impacts on fruit quality and yield. Citrus canker is not harmful to people or animals. Citrus canker has been detected in Australia previously and been successfully eradicated.

Import Requirement 31 has been amended to:

Extend the host list in accordance with technical advice; and

Recognise an approved arrangement for supply of citrus fruit out of the Northern Territory and Western Australia under property freedom with additional biosecurity conditions. This arrangement does not apply to properties where citrus canker is present.

​Citrus canker (Xanthomonas citri susbp citri) has recently been detected in the Northern Territory. Citrus canker is a serious disease of citrus and can have severe impacts on fruit quality and yield. Citrus canker is not harmful to people or animals.

Biosecurity Tasmania has declared citrus canker to be a List A disease under the Plant Quarantine Act 1997 and has re-in​stated the Import Requirement on the import of Citrus plants and plant products (including leaf material and fruit) as well as agricultural equipment and machinery that may have been in contact with the disease.

Biosecurity Advisory 6/2018 - Queensland Fruit Fly - Update

The Australian Government has informed the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment that Taiwan has suspended imports of Tasmanian produce following the detection of fruit fly in the State.

Suspension of trade from a country that has specific market access requirements in place was an expected process to be implemented following a pest or disease detection.

The industry has been informed of the notification and the Department would now work closely with them and through the Australian Government to identify the requirements to re-commence movement produce to Taiwan or any other market that may suspend trade.

Trade is continuing to other overseas markets as well as domestic markets that do not have biosecurity requirements in place for Queensland Fruit Fly.

Surveillance operations around the fruit fly larvae detection site at Spreyton have detected an adult fruit fly in traps established around the site.

The current detection sites have not changed and remain as three on Flinders Island and one site near Spreyton in the State’s north west. Control Areas are currently in place around the sites.

The Wildlife Management Branch received species profile to facilitate risk assessments for the potential import into Tasmania of;

Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)

Public comments are invited by 21 December 2017

The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) is one of six sub-species of the Tiger (Panthera tigris), all of which are either endangered or critically endangered. The Sumatran tiger is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, and is managed in Australia and New Zealand through the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) Australasian Species Management Program (ASMP). The ZAA program provides the maximum possible support for the conservation of Sumatran tigers in the wild via:

An assurance population against extinction in the wild;

A potential source population for demographic and/or genetic supplementation in the event of severe decline in the wild;

As a source population for research that may benefit the conservation of wild tigers or improve our understanding of the species;

As a source population for training activities that may benefit the management of wild tigers (eg, capture techniques that can be applied to conflict tigers);

As a charismatic species for exhibition and education programs to increase awareness of human impacts on wildlife and inspire support of conservation activities and actions; and

As ambassadors for fund-raising efforts for in situ conservation projects that benefit wild tigers and their habitats.

Through the ZAA ASMP the Sumatran tiger may only be offered to wildlife parks and zoos within Australia and New Zealand that are full accredited ZAA members.

The Sumatran tiger is the smallest of all Tiger species and behaviorally, are generally solitary animals.

The species profile provided has been submitted by a third party, which is predominately used to undertake the risk assessment. DPIPWE has accepted and published the information contained in the species profile in good faith but accepts no responsibility for its accuracy, nor does DPIPWE accept any responsibility associated with the publishing of this material including, but not limited to, liability associated with copyright.

Risk Assessment:

A risk assessment has been undertaken by specialist staff from the Department including, policy and wildlife officers, ecologists and veterinary officers from Biosecurity Tasmania.

The risk assessment considers three main areas of risk:

Public safety

Establishment

Consequence

​The risk to public safety is considered highly dangerous in the event that the species escaped captivity.

The likelihood of establishment is considered extremely low due to an inappropriate climate match.

The consequence of establishment is considered moderate because of the low climate match, and the species is not known to be a pest, would not harm property but could harm livestock.

Taking these factors into consideration, the risk assessment concluded that the risk posed by importing Sumatran tiger into Tasmania is serious.

Mitigation:

Any decision to allow the import of Sumatran tiger into Tasmania would only be considered where:

The species is imported by a Wildlife Exhibition Licence holder that has appropriate facilities to securely house the species.

The wildlife exhibition facility can clearly demonstrate they have proficient keepers for that particular species.

Standard conditions associated with the import of a serious risk species include, but are not limited to:

Import and keeping is only permitted by facilities approved to keep the species under licence.

The animal must not be released, or be allowed to escape from effective control.

Animal welfare requirements under the Animal Welfare Act 1993 and any approved Code of Practice or Management Plan must be met.

Individuals must be micro-chipped or otherwise identified.

The wildlife facility must be available for inspection at any reasonable time.

The maximum number of individuals of a species held at the wildlife facility is to be stipulated on the licence, taking into account relevant factors. Gender may also be stipulated.

Written approval must be sought prior to movement of animals between wildlife facilities and trade of the species under licence.

Record keeping and reporting must be provided to DPIPWE as required by DPIPWE.

Collections containing species subject to approval by DPIPWE must accord with the relevant code of practice for keeping that species.​

Provided these mitigation measures are in place and continually complied with, the level of risk to Tasmania of holding the Sumatran tiger within a wildlife facility is considered reduced.

Right to Information Act 2009 and confidentiality:

Please note that submissions will be treated as public documents. By law, information provided to the Government may be provided to an applicant under the provisions of the Right to Information Act 2009.

When making your submission, please detail any reasons why you consider the information that you have provided is confidential or should not be publicly released. Your reasons will be taken into account in determining whether or not to release the information.

​*Please note that this Advisory is a re-issue to rectify an incorrect link to the Tasmanian Government Gazette website that was contained in Biosecurity Advisory 14/2017

​The 2018 edition of the Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania (PBMTas) will be published on the Biosecurity Tasmania website (www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity​) on 13 December 2017. The manual will only be published online, and will not be available in hard copy format.

The new edition of the PBMTas includes several minor changes. Please note that these changes take legal effect from the date of public release, which is 13 December 2017.

The revised conditions and restrictions in this year’s Manual, include but are not limited to:

Flagging the introduction of a new import requirement for Tomato Potato Psyllid (IR46);

Removal of a Section 68 Notice for products which may vector Green Snail (Appendix 2.3), as the notice has lapsed and is not being renewed.

In terms of more recent plant biosecurity ‘quarantine pest’ declaration changes, besides a number of pest name taxonomic updates, key changes have included new declarations of Tomato Potato Psyllid, Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid, and many weed species as Regulated Quarantine Pests of concern to the State, and the revocation of Barley Stripe Mosaic Virus to a pest of Non-Quarantine Pest status.

The annual update of Tasmania’s Regulated Quarantine Pests (RQPs - Section 12 List A and B plant pests) was also published in the Government Gazette on Wednesday 22 November 2017. A copy of this Gazette can be accessed on the Tasmanian Government Gazette website.

As in previous years the updated RQP List is included in the 2018 edition of the Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania (PBMTas) in Appendix 1. As a reminder, a Regulated Quarantine Pest (RQP) is a pest which:

poses a significant threat to our primary industries and/or natural environment; and is either not present in Tasmania; or present in the State but is under some form of official control program​